By Katelyn Hansen
Heavy downpour and fast headwinds typically hinder an athlete’s race, but not for freshman Jasmin Reed on Saturday in the women’s 100 meters at the Pepsi Team Invitational. Finishing second behind her teammate Venessa D’Arpino, Reed ran a wind-aided personal best of 11.38 seconds.
“As soon as I saw my time, I was like, `Whoa, are you kidding me?’ And I ran to my teammate and gave her a high five,” said Reed.
Reed returned to competition after a groin injury two weeks ago at the Aztec Invitational. She was not happy with her execution and speed there and said her nerves were “all in the air” preparing to run at Hayward Field for the first time.
“But I used them as good nerves and used it to my advantage,” she said, “and I did better than I had thought.”
Reed had the advantage with the wind on her tail, pushing her to the finish line and blowing out her old PR of 11.57. Although she is from Oregon, she is not used to running in the rain because in high school she ran under the grandstands.
For the future, she plans on living and learning through her coach’s words: “It’s a lifestyle, not a two-hour-a-day sport.”
She hopes for an even better time when the weather conditions are different and believes winning is what Oregon does. “I am excited to continue the legacy with my team this year,” she said.
